| There are parts of America, believe it or not, that | | | | the starting speed of 512 Kilobytes is a major |
| do not have access to High Speed Internet. While | | | | improvement comparing to dial up. However, |
| customers of cities and settled towns price T1 | | | | those moving to rural areas from cities or towns |
| cable lines and Fiber optic connections with speeds | | | | well equipped with cable or dsl providers have had |
| advertised sometimes over 25 Megabytes, many | | | | difficulty accepting the fact the maximum speeds |
| residents in rural areas rely on dial up speeds. This | | | | satellite Providers offer is 1.5 Megabytes. |
| is due to limited access of hardwired Telephone | | | | With a request of 300 million in Federal Funding |
| or cable lines. | | | | from the stimulus money the two powerful |
| Satellite Internet Providers have been doing their | | | | satellite internet providers plan on sharing a |
| best to connect rural America to the Internet at | | | | Satellite that could provide speeds up to 10 |
| an improved speed, and with 7.2 Billion dollars in | | | | Megabytes to present and future clientele of the |
| Fed Stimulus Money set aside to help rural areas | | | | Satellite Internet Providers. Although Satellite |
| to acquire Broadband Access the speeds offered | | | | Internet services approximately 400,000 |
| at the moment may see a significant increase. | | | | customers, there are an estimated 11 million |
| There has also been an increase through cell | | | | households that currently have limited access to |
| phone providers to add Internet usage via their | | | | the Internet. |
| cell towers using what is known as an air card. | | | | Although pricing does play into some decisions of |
| Currently the speeds offered by Satellite Internet | | | | attaining the Satellite Internet Service, a majority |
| start at 512 kilobytes and range up to 1.5 | | | | of rural America just does not have live in an |
| megabytes. This seems slow to some areas of | | | | area that has the infrastructure to acquire |
| the country who have cable or dsl connections. | | | | Broadband Internet. Part of the problem is that |
| However the average speed of a dial up | | | | those without Internet include schools, businesses, |
| connection is between 30 and 56 Kilobytes. With | | | | and libraries. The stimulus is an attempt to bring Hi |
| today's Web Pages designed with Flash Players | | | | Speed Internet to those mentioned who cannot |
| and Media Players a dial up connection can take at | | | | connect at speeds faster than dial up. The first |
| a minimum 20 minutes or longer to load. When a | | | | round of funding will be rewarded within the |
| customer begins service with a satellite provider | | | | coming months. |